ND university gets $2.5M gift from late WA couple

Valley City State University has received a $2.5 million donation from the estate of a Washington state couple, the largest gift in the North Dakota school's history.

Associated Press

Valley City State University has received a $2.5 million donation from the estate of a Washington state couple, the largest gift in the North Dakota school's history.

The money is from the estate of Leonard and Marjorie Wright of Mukilteo, Wash. Marjorie Wright is a native of Dazey who attended what was then known as Valley City State Teacher's College. Leonard Wright's nephew, Phil Mueller, is a 1968 VCSU alumnus who serves on the board of the university's foundation.

The Wrights married in 1945 and made their fortune in the Alaskan oil industry. Marjorie Wright taught for many years before joining her husband's business, Badger Construction, which prospered with work on construction projects associated with the Alaska oil pipeline.

"Leonard and Marjorie Wright were very successful business people, and the foresight they had in making the arrangements for this generous gift to Valley City State shows they did not forget their North Dakota roots," Larry Robinson, the school's executive director of university advancement, said in a statement.

Leonard Wright died in 2007 and Marjorie Wright last April. Their donation will go into the VCSU scholarship fund.

"Their gift is clearly a gift that will keep on giving, touching the lives of future generations of VCSU students," President Steven Shirley said.

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